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Q
The World Basics * Are the laws of nature and physics actually different in this world, or are they the same as in real life? How does magic fit in? How do magical beasts fit in?The laws of nature and physics work the same. The Prime effects the individual and it acts like a virus. Magical beasts? There are no such thing, there are bioengineered creatures, but no magical creatures. * Is this generally an earth-like world? Is it an “alternate Earth”? Yes and no.'' The first settlers, people from Earth looked for a hospitable planet similar to ours. Endarius has two moons. The gravity of is heavier than Earth, which is one of the reasons the ancients used bioengineering. * '''Are there different human races, whether or not there are non-humans like elves or dwarves? How does the cultural and ethnic diversity of this world compare to the real world?The Ëlvahym, Durafan, Vess, and the Zahteen, Humans. More diverse. * How long have there been people on this world? Did they evolve, or did they migrate from somewhere/when else?There have been people here since the primordial world. The people here save the humans did not evolve they were created through genetic engineering. * '''How many people are there in this country? How does this compare with world population? What is considered a small town/large town/city in terms of number of people?'Almost in the millions. World population is in the millions, probably 50 million or so. Small town would be a fifty to one hundred people. Large town would be hundreds of people. Small city would be 500 hundred or more. Large city would be in the 1,000s.' * '''Where does magic power come from: the gods, the “mana” of the world (as in Larry Niven’s “Warlock” stories), the personal willpower or life force of the magician, somewhere else? Is magic an exhaustible resource? If a magician must feed his spells with his own willpower, life-force, or sanity, what long-term effects will this have on the health and/or stability of the magician? Do different races/species have different sources for their magic, or does everybody use the same one?The Prime is a virus that lives inside of mages. The Prime is exhaustible but for a short period. Just as you would be winded from running. A mage's mana pool grows as he practices. He trains himself. By not using his powers it can kill them, their body starts to shut down.'' Not Earth At All * '''How does this world differ physically from earth? Is it the same size (same density, same gravity), same ratio of land/water, same atmosphere, etc.? Does it have more than one sun or moon? Rings? Are there spectacular constellations/comets, etc. visible at night or by day? ''This world is bigger than Earth. The gravity is heavier. It has the same atmosphere. It has two moons. Beautiful comets and constellations at night, different from our own.'' * Are there non-human inhabitants of this planet (elves, dwarves, aliens)? If so, how numerous? How openly present? What areas do they occupy? ''The Ëlvahym, Durafan, Vess, and the Zahteen, Humans. The Ëlvahym are most numerous, Zahteen are second numerous, Humans are third numerous, Vess are fourth numerous, and then the Durafan are last. All areas of the world. They are all pretty connected. They intermingle pretty well.'' * How are the continents laid out? If there is more than one moon/sun, how does this affect winds, tides, and weather generally? ''Only one super continent with various many islands. There is one sun and two moons. Wind currents blow through the islands. Tides are complex. Weather is diverse and difficult to predict.'' * How much land is there, and how much of it is habitable? ''Much of the land and islands are habitable as long as you want to go through certain extremes.'' * Is the axial tilt and orbit the same — i.e., does the world have the same seasons and same length of year as Earth? ''' Physical and Historical Features General * '''In which geographical areas will the story take place? How much ground will the story cover? What are the most striking features of landscape, climate, animals, etc. in this area? How will these features affect travel time, communication, etc.? ''In Son of No One: One city, Canterbury. City features. Very North Carolina-like weather. Animals are based on the region.'' * If there are non-human inhabitants, are there any areas they particularly claim as their own (e.g., dwarves traditionally live underground, usually in mountains)? ''The Ëlvahym are traditionally nomadic tribes, but have slowly started their cultural boom into cities, most of the races have. '' Climate and Geography * Have human activities affected climate, landscape, etc. in various regions? How? (Example: Sahara Desert growth has been increased by over-farming.) If this is an alternate earth, will the “alternate” part change existing effects? (If there are no people in N. Africa, desert growth is probably slower.) ''The world changed on its own. Wars and social drama changed the face of cities and cultures.'' * How do differences from Earth (multiple suns, moons, etc.) affect the climate in various areas? ' * '''How much land is in each of the equatorial, temperate, and polar zones? ' * '''Where are major mountain ranges? Rivers and lakes? Deserts? Forests, tropical and otherwise? Grasslands and plains? * If there are imaginary animals (dragons, unicorns, etc.), how do they fit into the ecology? What do they eat? How much habitat do they require? Can they live anywhere, or do they prefer or need specific kinds of climate or terrain? Are they intelligent and/or capable of working spells, talking, etc.? Natural Resources * Which areas are the most fertile farmland? Where are mineral resources located? * Which animals, birds, fish, and other wildlife are commonly found in which areas? If there are imaginary animals such as dragons, where do they live? * Which natural resources, if any, have been depleted in which areas over time? * Which resources (e.g., coal, oil, iron ore, gold, diamonds, limestone, etc.) are particularly abundant, and in which areas? Which are scarce? Are there places where there are rich deposits that haven’t been discovered yet, or where they haven’t been fully exploited? * How much conflict has been or might be caused by these imbalances in resources? How much active, peaceful trade? * What water resources available, and for what uses (a mill wheel requires flowing water, i.e., river or stream; irrigation needs a large, dependable water source like a lake or large river; etc.)? World History * How far back are there records or tales of historical events? How widely known are these stories? * Do average people believe old tales, or do they dismiss some that have a basis in fact (e.g., Troy)? * How long have there been people on this world? Did they evolve, were they created by the gods, or did they migrate from somewhere else? If there are non-humans, how long have they been around and where did they come from? * How similar is the history and culture of an alternate earth to real history and culture? Why is it similar/different? * Where did civilization begin? What directions did it spread? How was its development affected by the presence of magic? The presence of non-human races, if any? The actions or direct interventions of the gods? * Which peoples/countries/races have traditionally fought, allied, traded, or been rivals? Where are there still hard feelings about old events? * Which peoples/countries/races have been in conflict in the recent past? Why? When and why was the most recent war? Who won? * Which peoples/etc. are considered the most civilized? Which are most technologically advanced? Which are most magically advanced? Least advanced? Why? * Is there a single, generally accepted calendar (including time measurements), or do different countries or peoples or races have different ones? * How many languages are there? Which ones are related (e.g., the Romance languages) and why? Which languages borrow words or phrases from other languages? Which is likely to be most widely spoken? * Is there a “trade language” that facilitates commerce between countries that don’t speak the same tongue? Is there a “universal language” spoken by educated or noble persons, as Latin was in the Middle Ages? Specific Country (s) History * How accessible is this area? What natural features mark the borders? Who are the neighboring countries/peoples and what are they like? * Why did people settle in this country in the first place — strategic location, trade route, water transport, minerals, good farming, etc.? Have things changed much since, or do they still depend on whatever brought them in the first place? * How do the weapons of this country compare with those of surrounding cities and countries? Have there been recent innovations that may upset the balance of power, or is everyone more or less equal? * Who are the rivals or enemies of this country? How close are they physically? How powerful? * Who are the heroes and villains of each country’s history (e.g., Washington and Lincoln in the U.S.; Henry V in England, etc.)? Why are they heroes/villains and what do this say about the country and the people who admire them? * How many people are there in this country? How does this compare with world population? What is considered a small town/large town/city in terms of number of people? * How diverse is the population of this country — how many different races (human or non-human), creeds, etc. normally live in various cities and towns in this country? In what percentages? * Is population shifting from rural to urban, south to north, mountains to coast, etc.? Why — invasion, plague, gold rush, etc.? What effects has this had on the places being left? The places gaining people? * Is magic legal here? All magic, or only some types? Do laws vary widely from country to country, or is the attitude generally similar? * What does this country import? Export? How important is trade to the economy? How is currency exchange handled, and by whom? What is the system of coinage, and who mints it? * Which peoples/countries/races have been in conflict in the recent past? Why? When and why was the most recent war? Who won? * Which peoples/countries/races fought, allied, traded, or were traditional rivals? Where are there still hard feelings about old events? * How much of the country is farmland? Forest? Desert? Mountains? Plains? * What are the primary crops (e.g., potatoes, cotton, tobacco, coffee, rice, peanuts, wheat, sugarcane, etc.)? Are any grown mainly for export? What crops can not be grown here because of the soil, climate, or for other reasons? * What water resources available, and for what uses (a mill wheel requires flowing water, i.e., river or stream; irrigation needs a large, dependable water source like a lake or large river: etc.)? * What wild animals, actual or imaginary, live in this area? Are any of them potentially useful — e.g., for fur, whale oil, hides, magical ingredients, hat feathers? * Which animals, actual or imaginary, are commonly domesticated in this area? Which aren’t here, but are elsewhere? (Example: water buffalo in India vs. oxen in Europe vs. camels in desert areas.) * How do most of the citizens make their living — farming, fishing, trade, manufacturing? Do non-humans tend to take up different trades from humans? Are they legally limited to certain trades? *